Retractable roof for a vehicle, having a device for optimising the placing of luggage in the boot

ABSTRACT

The retractable roof comprises several rigid roof elements ( 1, 2, 3 ) able to move between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are stored inside the rear boot ( 4 ) of the vehicle, so as to be superimposed substantially horizontally under the lid ( 5 ) of the rear boot ( 4 ).  
     The assembly consisting of the roof elements ( 1, 2, 3 ), stored inside the rear boot ( 4 ), is mounted so as to pivot on an axis ( 6 ) situated within the boot ( 4 ), so that it is possible to raise this assembly upwards during or after the opening of the lid ( 5 ) of the boot ( 4 ) from rear to front.

[0001] The invention relates to a retractable roof for vehiclescomprising several rigid roof elements able to move between a positionin which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and aposition in which they are stored in the rear boot of the vehicle.

[0002] Such a retractable roof makes it possible to convert a vehicle ofthe saloon or coupé type into a vehicle of the cabriolet type.

[0003] In many designs, the roof elements, when they are stored insidethe rear boot of the vehicle, are placed one on top of the other andextend substantially horizontally under the boot lid.

[0004] In this position, there remains inside the boot, under thesuperimposed roof elements, a space for housing luggage.

[0005] However, the threshold for access inside the boot, that is to saythe distance between the rear edge of the bottom roof element and therear edge of the access opening to the boot, is limited, which impedesthe placing of the luggage inside the boot.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to remedy the above drawbackby creating a device for increasing the distance between the rear edgeof the boot opening and the rear edge of the bottom roof element inorder to facilitate the placing of the luggage inside the boot.

[0007] The invention thus relates to a retractable roof for a vehicle,comprising several rigid roof elements able to move between a positionin which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and aposition in which they are stored inside the rear boot of the vehicle,so as to be superimposed substantially horizontally under the rear bootlid.

[0008] According to the invention, this retractable roof ischaracterised in that the assembly consisting of the roof elements,stored inside the rear boot, is mounted so as to pivot on an axissituated within the boot, so that this assembly can be raised upwardsduring or after the opening of the boot lid from rear to front.

[0009] By virtue of this possibility of being able to raise the roofelement assembly by pivoting about the aforementioned axis, the distancebetween the rear edge of the boot opening and the rear edge of thebottom roof element is increased.

[0010] This arrangement thus facilitates the placing of luggage insidethe boot.

[0011] In a preferred version of the invention, the retractable roofcomprises a rear element, a front element and possibly an intermediateelement, the movement of this assembly towards the boot being controlledby a pivoting arm articulated at a fixed point on the bodywork and at apoint situated close to the front of the rear element, the latter beingsituated under the front element and possibly under the intermediateelement, when these are stored in the rear boot.

[0012] In this embodiment the assembly of roof elements stored insidethe boot is mounted so as to pivot about the point of articulation ofthe said arm situated close to the front of the rear element.

[0013] In the above version the movement of the rear element towards theboot is also guided by a runner extending inside the boot, in whichthere is engaged a finger fixed to the rear of the rear element.

[0014] In this embodiment, the said finger is connected to the rear partof the rear element by means making it possible, when the finger is inthe end of travel position in the said runner, to space the rear part ofthe rear element apart from the said finger.

[0015] Preferably the finger is fixed to a lug directed towards the rearof the rear element and having a groove in which there is slidablyengaged at least one finger carried by a fixed lug at the rear part ofthe rear element.

[0016] This arrangement makes it possible to guide the movement of theassembly consisting of the superimposed roof elements during theirraising.

[0017] Other particularities and advantages of the invention will emergebelow.

[0018] In the accompanying drawings given by way of non-limitativeexamples:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the boot ofa vehicle in which there are stored the elements of a retractable roofaccording to the invention;

[0020]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of detail A in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a view in section along the plane 111-111 in FIG. 2.

[0022] The retractable roof shown in FIG. 1 comprises three rigid roofelements 1, 2, 3 able to move between a position in which they cover thepassenger compartment of the vehicle and a position (the one shown inFIG. 1) in which they are stored inside the rear boot 4 of the vehicle,in a superimposed fashion, substantially horizontally and under the lid5 of the rear boot 4.

[0023] According to the invention, the assembly consisting of the roofelements 1, 2, 3 stored inside the rear boot 4 is mounted so as to pivoton an axis 6 situated inside the boot 4, so that it is possible to raisethis assembly upwards during and after the opening of the lid 5 of theboot from rear to front.

[0024] When the assembly consisting of the elements 1, 2, 3 is in theraised position, the distance between the rear edge 7 of the opening ofthe boot 4 and the rear edge 3 a of the bottom element 3 changes from avalue D to a value D′, which facilitates the placing of the luggageinside the boot 4.

[0025] In the example depicted in FIG. 1, the retractable roof comprisesa rear element 3, a front element 1 and an intermediate element 2. Themovement of this assembly towards the boot 4 is controlled by a pivotingarm 8 articulated at a fixed point 9 on the bodywork and at a point 6situated close to the front of the rear element 3. The latter issituated under the front element 1 and under the intermediate element 2,when these are stored in the rear boot.

[0026] The assembly consisting of the roof elements 1, 2, 3 storedinside the boot 4 is mounted so as to pivot about the point ofarticulation 6 of the arm 8 situated close to the front of the rearelement 3.

[0027] The movement of the rear element 3 towards the boot 4 is alsoguided by a runner 10 extending inside the boot 4. In this runner 10there is engaged a finger or roller 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) fixed to therear 3 b of the rear element 3.

[0028] The roller 11 is connected to the rear part 3 b of the rearelement 3 by means making it possible, when the roller 11 is in the endof travel position in the runner 10, to space the rear part 3 b of therear element 3 apart from the roller 11, as shown by FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0029] In the example depicted the roller 11 is fixed to a lug 12directed towards the rear 3 b of the rear element 3, and which has agroove 13 in which there are slidably engaged two fingers 14 carried bya lug 15 fixed to the rear part 3 b of the rear element 3.

[0030]FIG. 3 shows that the spacing of the rear part 3 b of the rearelement 3 with respect to the roller 11 engaged in the runner 10 iscontrolled by means of a ram 16 whose body 16 a is connected to the lug12 carrying the roller 11 and the rod 16 b is connected to the lug 15fixed to the rear element 3.

[0031] Preferably the actuation of the ram 16 is effected simultaneouslywith the actuation of the opening of the lid 5 of the boot 4.

[0032] The actuation of the ram 16 pushes the rear part 3 b of the rearelement 3 upwards, this movement being guided by the sliding of thefingers 14 in the groove 13 formed in the lug 12.

[0033] By virtue of the raising of the assembly consisting of theelements 1, 2, 3 by pivoting about the axis 6, the distance D betweenthe rear edge 7 of the opening of the boot and the rear edge 3 a of therear element 3 changes to D′.

[0034] The increase in this distance facilitates the placing of theluggage inside the vehicle boot.

[0035] Naturally, the raising of the assembly consisting of the elements1, 2, 3 could be controlled manually, for example by means of a handlefixed to the rear of the rear element 3 or by an appropriate connectionbetween this element 3 and the lid 5, so that the manual or motorisedopening of the lid 5 simultaneously controls the lifting of the assemblyconsisting of the elements 1, 2, 3.

1. A retractable roof for a vehicle, comprising several rigid roofelements (1, 2, 3) able to move between a position in which they coverthe passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which theyare stored inside the rear boot (4) of the vehicle, so as to besuperimposed substantially horizontally under the lid (5) of the rearboot (4), characterised in that the assembly consisting of the roofelements (1, 2, 3), stored inside the rear boot (4), is mounted so as topivot on an axis (6) situated inside the boot (4), so that it ispossible to raise this assembly upwards during or after the opening ofthe lid (5) of the boot (4) from rear to front.
 2. A retractable roofaccording to claim 1, comprising a rear element (3), a front element (1)and possibly an intermediate element (2), the movement of this assemblytowards the boot (4) being controlled by a pivoting arm (8) articulatedat a fixed point (9) on the bodywork and at a point (6) situated closeto the front of the rear element (3), the latter being situated underthe front element (1) and possibly under the intermediate element (2),when these are stored in the rear boot (4), characterised in that theassembly consisting of the roof elements (1, 2, 3) stored inside theboot (4) is mounted so as to pivot about the point of articulation (6)of the said arm (8) situated close to the front of the rear element (3).3. A retractable roof according to claim 2, the movement of the rearelement (3) towards the boot (4) also being guided by a runner (10)extending inside the boot (4), in which there is engaged a finger (11)fixed to the rear of the rear element (3), characterised in that thesaid finger (11) is connected to the rear part of the rear element (3)by means making it possible, when the finger (11) is in the end oftravel position in the said runner (10), to space the rear part (3) ofthe rear element apart from the said finger (11).
 4. A retractable roofaccording to claim 3, characterised in that the finger (11) is fixed toa lug (12) directed towards the rear of the rear element (3) and havinga groove (13) in which there is slidably engaged at least one finger(14) carried by a lug (15) fixed to the rear part (3 b) of the rearelement (3).
 5. A retractable roof according to one of claims 3 or 4,characterised in that the spacing of the rear part (3 b) of the rearelement (3) with respect to the finger (11) engaged in the runner (10)is controlled by means of a ram (16).
 6. A retractable roof according toclaim 5, characterised in that the actuation of the said ram (16) iseffected simultaneously with the opening of the lid (5) of the boot (4).